
Preview from 25 August. On sale Tuesday 1 September
Hobonichi Techo 2027
The Techo is Hobonichi's Japanese planner-diary, best known for giving each day its own page. The 2027 January-start lineup launches in Australia on Tuesday 1 September, and popular editions do sell through. From 25 August you can preview the full range here, browsing only: ordering opens on launch day. Leave your email and we will send one reminder on launch day.
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The 2027 lineup
Seven books, one family
Most are sold as a book plus a cover you choose. HON's cover is built in, and Weeks comes with its own. Here is the family at a glance; the 2027 range launches Tuesday 1 September.
The 2027 books are not pictured yet. Cards below show previous seasons' editions: the full 2027 range goes on preview here on 25 August, and ordering opens Tuesday 1 September.
Original (A6)
Planner (A6)
Cousin (A5)
HON (A6 / A5)
Weeks (incl. Mega)
Day-Free (A6 / A5)
5-Year Techo (incl. Gift Edition)
Take the five-question quiz: about 60 seconds, and it points you to the one that fits.
Find your fit
Choosing a Hobonichi Techo
Most people know they want a Hobonichi, not which one. Five questions is usually enough to settle it, and you will see the closest runner-up in case you want to compare.
Take the 60-second quizPick by format
A page a day
A full page for each day; use it as a journal, a planner, a sketchbook or a log.
Original is the daily classic; Planner is its English-first, simpler cousin at the same size; Cousin gives the same day a roomier A5 page; HON has its cover built in.
A week at a glance
The week on the left, blank notes on the right; slim enough to carry everywhere.
Monthly, plus undated pages
A monthly calendar and a large undated notebook, with no daily grid to keep up.
Five years, one line a day
The same date across five years on one page, for a slow, long-term record.
Pick by size
Wallet size
Weeks. Slim as a long wallet, but the writing area is close to the A6, so it holds more than it looks.
A6
Original, Planner, HON A6, Day-Free A6 and the A6 5-Year. Compact enough to hold in one hand and carry every day.
A5
Cousin, HON A5, Day-Free A5 and the A5 5-Year. Room to write at length and paste things in.
Pick by use
Work scheduling
Weeks keeps the whole week in front of you for appointments and tasks. Want daily space as well? The A5 HON adds a weekly spread to its daily pages.
See Hobonichi Weeks books
A daily journal
The Original gives a full page for each day's events and thoughts. The Cousin does the same with more room at A5.
See Hobonichi Original books
A bit of both: plan and journal
The Cousin carries both in one book: a daily page to write on and a vertical weekly spread to plan on. The A5 HON is a close second, with the same pairing and its cover built in.
See Hobonichi Cousin books
Memory keeping
Day-Free's 171 blank pages give room to paste and write freely around a simple monthly calendar. For heavier scrapbooking, Weeks Mega carries a much larger note section.
See Hobonichi Day-Free books
Creative journalling and scrapbooking
Day-Free's undated blank pages suit free, non-daily making. If you would rather decorate a dated page, the A5 Cousin has the most room.
See Hobonichi Day-Free books
Travels light
The Weeks slips into a bag or pocket and still writes like an A6. The Original Avec splits the year into two thinner books to roughly halve the carry weight.
See Hobonichi Weeks books
A first Hobonichi
Start with the Original: one page a day, opens flat, and the rest of the system fits around it. Prefer nothing to assemble? The A6 HON has its cover built in.
See Hobonichi Original books
A meaningful gift
The 5-Year Techo gift edition comes boxed with an embroidered cover, made for anniversaries and milestones. The A6 HON is a lovely everyday gift: one complete object, ready to write in.
See Hobonichi 5-Year Techo booksThe quiz
About 60 secondsNot sure which Hobonichi Techo? Find your book
Five quick taps, about 60 seconds, and we will point you to the book that fits, with a runner-up to compare.
What will it mostly be for?
How much will you write?
Where will it live?
Is this your first Hobonichi?
How do you feel about Japanese?
Based on your answers
Get the launch reminder
Your match is saved with your signup, and we will send one reminder when the 2027 lineup launches on Tuesday 1 September. No spam.
Side by side
Compare the Hobonichi Techo books
Torn between two? Read the short answers: Original vs Planner · Original vs Cousin.
Original (A6)
Layouts: daily + monthly - no weekly
Editions: English + Japanese
Standard A6 book plus a cover of your choice: butterfly-stopper or zipper.
Needs a cover? Yes, choose one (A6)
Page layouts
Editions
Planner (A6)
Editions: English only
Shares the Original's standard A6 covers, plus a dedicated Arts&Science leather cover.
Needs a cover? Yes, choose one (A6)
Page layouts
Editions
Cousin (A5)
Layouts: daily + vertical weekly + monthly
Standard A5 book plus a cover of your choice: butterfly-stopper or zipper.
Needs a cover? Yes, choose one (A5)
Page layouts
Editions
HON (A6 / A5)
Layouts: daily + monthly; weekly on A5 only
Hardcover built in, so standard covers do not fit; an optional Clear Cover protects it.
Needs a cover? No, built in (Clear Cover optional)
Page layouts
Editions
Weeks (incl. Mega)
Layouts: weekly + monthly - no daily page
Comes with its own printed cover; dedicated Weeks covers are optional.
Needs a cover? No, comes with one (extra optional)
Page layouts
Editions
Day-Free (A6 / A5)
Layouts: monthly + free pages - no daily or weekly
Editions: Japanese only
Its own slim BS Lite cover, and it also fits the standard Original and Cousin covers.
Needs a cover? Optional (BS Lite, or standard A6/A5)
Page layouts
Editions
5-Year Techo (incl. Gift Edition)
Layout: one line a day across five years
Editions: Japanese only
Its own 5-Year cover only. The A6 and A5 covers are not interchangeable.
Needs a cover? Yes, its own 5-Year cover
Page layouts
Editions
Still can't tell them apart? Five quick taps, about 60 seconds, and we will point you to the book that fits.
Book plus cover
Hobonichi covers, explained
Most Hobonichi books are sold as a book and a cover, bought separately, so you can pair the pages you want with a cover you like, and swap the cover next year while keeping the same book size. Two lines work differently: HON has its cover built in, and the 5-Year Techo has its own dedicated cover.
Closure types
Butterfly-stopper
The longest-running of the two designs: Hobonichi has made it since 2003. A pen holder sits on each side of the closed cover; slide one pen through both and it holds the book shut. Inside and out are pockets from business-card to postcard size, plus two bookmarks with different charms, so you can mark the monthly and daily pages separately.
Choose if: you want the widest choice of designs and a slim, simple cover that still carries the essentials.
Zipper
A cover that zips fully closed, so nothing slips out. It adds a large pocket between the outer and inner layers (big enough for A4 folded in half), a mesh pocket for bulkier things like washi tape, and an interior holder for one thick pen or two thin ones.
Choose if: you carry a lot alongside the book, or you like everything zipped safely in one place.
Specialty covers
Weeks covers
Weeks comes with its own printed cover, so an extra one is optional. Dedicated Weeks covers add pockets and pen hooks and are sized only for the wallet-format book. They do not fit the Original or Cousin.
Day-Free
Day-Free has its own slim BS Lite cover (a thinner butterfly-stopper style whose hook holds a pen by its clip), and it also fits the standard Original (A6) and Cousin (A5) covers if you already own one.
5-Year Techo
The 5-Year has its own dedicated cover and takes no other; the A6 and A5 versions are not interchangeable with each other.
HON
HON needs no cover: the hardcover is part of the book. An optional Clear Cover, moulded to each size, slips over it for protection.
Good to know
Cover on Cover
Cover on Cover is a clear protective shell that slips over a book that already has a cover on it, sized for the Original or Cousin. It is made for the printed-pattern and Colors-series covers. It is not designed for leather or faux-leather (PU) covers: it can sit too tight and, over time, mark or degrade those materials.
Clear Cover
Clear Cover is a different product: it fits directly onto a book whose cover is already attached, which means HON and Weeks. Each is moulded to one book model, so sizes are not interchangeable. It should not be used over an attached cover made of PVC, leather or faux leather, for the same reason: the risk of discolouring or damaging the surface.
The set builder
Build your set
Prefer to be guided? Pick a book, and we will show only the covers made to fit it, then the case and extras.
Book
Choose the book that fits how you write.
Cover
Only the covers made to fit that book.
Cover on cover
An optional clear shell over the top.
Extras
Pen boards, memo pads and page markers.
The set builder opens Tuesday 1 September
Leave your email and we will let you know the moment the set builder is live for the 2027 Techo range.
Hobonichi collaborations
Shop by collaboration
Artists and characters, across covers, books and tools.
TSUKI no IRO
Yumi Kitagishi
ONE PIECE magazine
Keiko Shibata
iyo okumi
Liberty Fabrics
Tamagotchi
Unsodo
More collaborations
Before you buy
Hobonichi Techo FAQ
When does the 2027 stock arrive, and will it sell out?
The January-start 2027 lineup launches on Tuesday 1 September. Popular sizes and colourways do sell through, and some editions are made in small numbers, so if there is one you have your eye on it is worth ordering early. All orders ship Australia-wide from our Melbourne warehouse. Join the launch list and we will send a single reminder on the day.
Which parts are in English, and which are Japanese?
The Original, Planner, Cousin, HON and Weeks all have English editions, with the calendars, labels and bonus pages in English. The Planner is English-only. Day-Free and the 5-Year Techo are Japanese-only (there is no English edition of either), though their dated pages use plain numerals and stay easy to follow. Japanese editions of the other lines also carry local content, such as public holidays and the old lunisolar calendar.
January-start or April-start, and what launches on 1 September?
Most lines are January-start, running the full calendar year. Some Japanese editions also come April-start, for people who would rather begin mid-year. Only the January-start lineup launches on Tuesday 1 September; April-start editions arrive later in the cycle.
What is the difference between the Original and the Planner?
They are the same A6 size and both one-page-a-day, but they are different books, not two languages of one. The Planner is English-first, designed with Arts&Science: two colours instead of twelve, a looser daily timeline, a larger 4 mm dot grid, and its own bonus pages. The Original is the classic, with a full 24-hour timetable and the traditional layout. They share the same A6 covers.
What is the difference between the Original and the Cousin?
They are the same one-page-a-day book at two sizes. The Original is A6 (105 × 148 mm and 195 g) from $58. The Cousin is A5 (148 × 210 mm and 445 g) from $90, with noticeably more room to write, paste and decorate. The Cousin is also the only line with the vertical weekly spread: the week's seven days side by side, each with a 0:00 to 24:00 timeline down its column. The Original has no weekly page. Neither book includes a cover; each takes the standard covers in its size.
Which covers fit which books?
The Original, Planner and Cousin take the standard covers in their size: A6 for the Original and Planner, A5 for the Cousin. Weeks has its own wallet-sized covers. Day-Free fits the standard Original or Cousin covers, or its own slim BS Lite cover. The 5-Year Techo takes only its own cover, and its A6 and A5 covers are not interchangeable. HON needs no cover at all.
What is a Cover on Cover?
It is a clear protective shell that slips over a book that already has a cover on it, sized for the Original or Cousin. It suits the printed-pattern and Colors-series covers. It is not made for leather or faux-leather (PU) covers, which it can mark or fit too tightly.
Does HON need a cover?
No. HON has a hardcover built into the book, so it is ready to use on its own, and the standard Hobonichi covers do not fit it. If you would like to protect it, there is an optional Clear Cover moulded to each HON size.
What does "Avec" mean?
Avec is a Japanese-only option for the Original and Cousin that splits the year into two slimmer half-year books instead of one thick one, so the book you carry stays light. Both halves are January-start; there is no April-start Avec. Avec books fit the same standard covers as the full-year book.
Will this year's covers fit next year's books?
Yes. The book sizes are stable from year to year, so an A6, A5 or Weeks cover you buy now will fit the matching book in the next release. That is part of the idea: keep a cover you love and refresh the book each year.
Where can I buy the Hobonichi Techo in Australia?
Minimaru is an official Australian Hobonichi stockist, with stores in Clayton and Chadstone in Melbourne. The Techo range is stocked in Melbourne and ships with AusPost to addresses in Australia and New Zealand, with prices shown in Australian dollars (AUD).
Available today: the current Techo range
Books, covers and accessories in stock now from the current season, ready to ship from Melbourne. The 2027 lineup arrives Tuesday 1 September.
Hobonichi Techo 2027
The 2027 January-start lineup launches in Australia on Tuesday 1 September, and popular sizes and small-run editions do sell through. From 25 August you can preview the full range here, browsing only. Leave your email and we will send one reminder on launch day.